Ticking/Knocking After Intake Manifold Gaskets

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BubbaSmthr

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Eh, that doesn't look too good. How would I go about checking my lifters?

It would make sense that something happened to one of the lifters if the oil change made it go away right? But then how come it didn't go away the second time?
 

sewlow

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Higher mileage engines develop a varnish build up on the inside of the lifters in the area where they don't usually travel. Water will collapse the lifter, causing the inner to stick to the outer, due to that varnish.
One quikie fix is to give each rocker a couple or 3 good taps with a dead blow hammer. That may loosen it up.
Actual inspection would require pulling each lifter to look at it. If (IF!) a lifter or 2 is messed up like mine, be sure to inspect the cam lobe relative to the lifter.
This may or not be the problem though. It was a just suggestion as to what MIGHT be wrong. It's a job that's fairly involved, so, before getting into this, I'd make sure to check the other suggestions offered previously, such as an exhaust leak, any of the pulleys on the front of the engine, including the power steering pump/pulley, as that's a fairly common prob on these trucks for creating strange noises.
Make sure the plug wires are fully connected at each end. Sometimes wires can 'look' connected, but really aren't fully seated. Plugs tight? I've had ones back out on themselves occasionally.
Check for arcing in the dark, with the engine running. The underhood light can be turned off by bending it down with the hood up. Remember to bend it back up after.
Are the wires themselves in good shape? Old worn out ones will arc & that can actually be quite loud when they do.
Could be just the luck of the draw, though. Just seems that every time I work on my trucks, something unrelated seems to pop up right after I've just fixed something else.
You might even want to check to see if the flex-plate is cracked or broken. I've heard some sound like a bottom end knock. Quite loud! But I've also heard them sound kinda quiet, something like the sound in your vid.
Pretty hard to diagnose over the net, but those are my guesses!
Hopefully someone else can jump in here with some more/better ideas!
 
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BubbaSmthr

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Thanks for the tip on the lifters, will definitely try it tomorrow.
All of the pulleys are good, just checked them all when I replaced the water pump and power steering pump.
Will triple check the plug & wires, never hurts right. The wires, plugs, cap, and rotor are all brand new AC Delco parts, but that doesn't mean they I didn't get a bad part.
I will check the flex-plate, but to me it sounds like it is coming from the top of the motor, but I could be wrong.

Yeah I know how ya feel. It seems like every time I work on my truck something else breaks. And its usually something more expensive and harder to replace as well.

Thanks for all your help, its always good to get a second opinion, same to you bulldog.
 

SAATR

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Given all of your symptoms, namely the ticking/knocking that gets worse with driving, and that the only thing you did prior to the problem starting is pull the intake manifold, I'm leaning toward the possibility that something was dropped down into one of the intake ports, and has made its way into the cylinder. That would explain the ticking/knocking. Only way to confirm would be to scope the cylinders or pull the heads, but it is something to think about.
 

BubbaSmthr

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I hope that didn't happen, but I guess it is a possibility. If that is the case it'll probably go to a shop, not what I want to do. But that's a little out of my knowledge and ability to do right now.
 

cjman250

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If that did happen and you let it go on, it could scar the piston wall

Sent from my awesome S5
 

BubbaSmthr

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Noise turned out to be a loose rocker arm. Put on a new nut and the ticking went away :rockit:

Still has a high idle, around 1050-1100 in park, and occasional hard starts. But I'm pretty sure that's because of a vacuum leak around a couple of the intake bolts. :banghead: Hopefully I'll have time this weekend to redo the gaskets. :whymewhyme:
 

98_k1500

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I have actually done this same thing on a tbi engine. Drove it tapping for almost a year, put a HEAVY dose of marvel mystery oil in it and also a quart of trans fluid. Ran the **** out of it for about 5 miles, did an oil change, and fixed her up. Know the guy that still has the truck, still running like a top. I guess one of the lifters was stuck as mentioned earlier.
 
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